System and method providing enhanced security ballot image records

ABSTRACT

The system and method providing enhanced security ballot image records of the present invention includes an enhanced security ballot image tabulator and an enhanced security ballot image audit station. The tabulator processes each ballot of a plurality of ballots to be tabulated to provide an enhanced security ballot image record having diachronically and synchronically coordinated enhanced security ballot image files. The enhanced security ballot image record may be broadcast upon completion of tabulation and/or simulcast real time during tabulation or otherwise provided to the public or other parties interested in the tabulation of cast votes. The enhanced security audit station receives the enhanced security ballot image record and analyzes it to selectively identify out-of-bounds diachronic and/or synchronic security parameters. Any identified ballots may then be reviewed by election officials or other interested parties for validity and authentication purposes. The tabulator may also produce images of the voter sign-in sheets.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This invention is a continuation-in-part application of co-pending U.S.utility patent application Ser. No. 15/361,439 filed Nov. 27, 2016 whichU.S. utility patent application Ser. No. 15/361,439 filed Nov. 27, 2016claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/373,480,entitled Enhanced Security Ballot Tabulation Device and Enhanced BallotCounting Security, filed Aug. 11, 2016; to U.S. provisional applicationSer. No. 62/371,330 entitled Enhanced Security Ballot Tabulation Deviceand Enhanced Ballot Counting Security, filed Aug. 5, 2016; and to U.S.provisional application Ser. No. 62/365,136, entitled Enhanced SecurityBallot Tabulation Device, filed Jul. 21, 2016, each of which is of thesame inventive entity as herein and incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is drawn to the field of voting systems utilizing ballotimages, more particularly, to audit security in voting systems utilizingballot images, and still more particularly, to a novel system and methodproviding enhanced security ballot image records.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Liberty in its free expression in votes cast is the presupposition thatmakes democratic political process possible in both the public andprivate electoral spheres. The confidence of the electorate depends onboth the impartiality and the accuracy of the vote count. Factions mayarise with significant interests that may be perceived to be at oddswith the popular will. The less the cast ballots can be tampered with,the more the votes cast result will be seen as impartial and the greaterthe confidence the electorate will have in the results of any givenelection.

Representative of the heretofore known voting systems utilizing ballotimages are U.S. Pat. No. 8,913,787 issued Dec. 16, 2014 to Hoover et al.and U.S. Pat. No. 8,864,026 issued Oct. 21, 2014 to Coomer et al., eachincorporated herein by reference. The ballot images of Coomer areprovided with unique ballot identification indicia, polling stationidentification indicia and poll worker identification indicia for ballotimage verification and authentication in the event of an audit. InHoover, the ballot images include an election official area which may beused by election officials to validate each particular ballot such as bysigning the ballot by placing initials in an area provided therefor onthe corresponding ballot.

In close or contested elections, it may become necessary to produce andaudit the ballot images to verify the authenticity of the ballots thatwere cast in tangible form such as paper ballots. However, the auditsecurity of the heretofore known voting systems utilizing ballot imageshas been subject to compromise due to the unavailability of votingrecords from loss or corruption; due to ballot insertions and/or ballottampering; and/or due to suspicion that the intent of the electorate hasnot been honored.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to reduce if not eliminate auditinsecurity due to the unavailability of records from loss or corruption.In accord therewith, the present invention discloses an enhancedsecurity ballot image tabulator providing an enhanced security ballotimage record representative of corresponding ones of a plurality ofballots tabulated thereby, that fixes it in a tangible, publicallyaccessible preferably secure medium and/or broadcasts the enhancedsecurity ballot image record in real time and/or otherwise makes itavailable for the public to individually and/or collectively review,validate and to authenticate.

Ballot images or other files that are broadcast or otherwise madeavailable to the public may be in a format that is viewable andbrowsable by citizens or others with access to computers and internet ormonitors with video feed. A format is chosen to enable legibility, at animage/frame rate to match the tabulation rate of the tabulator, or thebandwidth constraints of the broadcast means.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce if not eliminateaudit insecurity due to election results that may have been compromisedby ballot insertions and/or ballot tampering. In accord therewith, thepresent invention discloses an enhanced security serial ballot imagetabulator tabulating a plurality of ballots providing a serial ballotimage record of enhanced security diachronically and synchronicallycoordinated ballot image files each representative of corresponding onesof the plurality of ballots serially tabulated thereby.

Ballot image files are time and date stamped at their tabulation moment.

Ballot image files include the ballot number, ballots being locatablewithin the series for example by search for a ballot's ballot number.

Ballot image files include a locator number that is their order withinthe series, such as a video frame number.

Ballot image files include the running tabulation at any given ballot inthe series of ballots being tabulated. Voter marks are detected and readand a running tabulation is appended to each ballot image file for eachrace field, including a highlight that may be provided to indicate achange in the number from the previous tabulation (previous ballotimage) in the series.

A photograph of the environment of the tabulation device may be recordedat the time of each ballot image capture and tabulation.

A further object of the present invention is to reduce if not eliminateaudit insecurity due to the suspicion that the intent of the electorateis not being honored in close or contested elections. In accordtherewith, the present invention discloses an enhanced security ballotimage audit station that receives said enhanced security ballot imagerecord, and among other things, selectively determines whether ballotimages have out-of-bounds diachronic and/or synchronic securityparameters and/or other security parameters and flags for authenticationand possible invalidation the corresponding ballots whose ballot imagesare not diachronically and/or synchronically coordinated or areotherwise out-of-bounds.

While a citizen auditor for example may capture the stream of files inreal time as the tabulation is being broadcast, the viewing of theresulting video file is enabled at a single frame rate or throughtargeted searches to examine various races or anomalies.

A browser application including means for isolating individual races andpresenting the voter marks for close scrutiny preferably may beprovided, along with the running tabulation and ballot number as avisual field spread-sheet or column, so as to allow the rapid evaluationof how the machine read and tallied the vote as compared to theauditor's interpretation while studying the data supplied to the public.

A random ballots sample may be pulled from the stack after tabulation,and their ballot numbers looked up on the resulting ballot image fileand the marked votes are compared between the hard copy and the imagefiles, to detect substitution ballots.

Those who did vote can search the ballot image series file for their ownballot serial number (which they for example recorded while in theballot booth, and took with them for later verification) and verify thatthe marks on the ballot of record are in fact the marks they made, andwere tabulated correctly, and that their vote was added to the tallyfrom the previous ballot, and was carried over to the following ballot.

The tabulation speed, as evidenced by the time and date stamp interval(indicating the effective ballots per second) may be compared to theknown limit of the tabulation device.

The environment of the device at the time of a given ballot's tabulationmay be viewed, so as to provide information as to time and place andpersonnel and activity in the vicinity of the equipment, potentiallydisclosing a scene that does not fit the time and facts that shouldcorrelate with the moment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, advantageous aspects and inventive features ofthe present invention will become apparent as the invention becomesbetter understood by referring to the following, solely exemplary,detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, and to thedrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial diagram useful in explaining the manner of use ofan enhanced security ballot image tabulator in accord with the systemand method providing enhanced security ballot image records of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic pictorial view of a typical prior art ballot foran exemplary governmental election;

FIG. 3 is a schematic pictorial view of a ballot image of the sameballot as in FIG. 2 to include information tabulated in accord with theenhanced security ballot image tabulator of the system and methodproviding enhanced security ballot image records in accord with thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of an enhanced security ballotimage tabulator of the system and method providing enhanced securityballot image records in accord with the present invention;

FIG. 5A is pictorial diagram schematically illustrating an enhancedsecurity ballot image record of the enhanced security ballot imagetabulator of the system and method providing enhanced security ballotimage records in accord with the present invention;

FIG. 5B is a pictorial diagram schematically illustrating an enhancedsecurity ballot image file constitutive of the enhanced security ballotimage record of the enhanced security ballot image tabulator of thesystem and method providing enhanced security ballot image records inaccord with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram useful in explaining the operation of theenhanced security ballot image tabulator of the system and methodproviding enhanced security ballot image records in accord with thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of an enhanced security ballotimage audit station for receiving and selectively reviewing enhancedsecurity ballot image records of the system and method providingenhanced security ballot image records in accord with the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram useful in explaining the operation of theenhanced security ballot image audit station for receiving and reviewingenhanced security ballot image records of the system and methodproviding enhanced security ballot image records in accord with thepresent invention; and

FIGS. 9-12 are schematic pictorial diagrams illustrating differentexemplary out-of-bounds diachronic and synchronic security parametersthat are potentially detectable by the enhanced security ballot imageaudit station of the system and method providing enhanced securityballot image records in accord with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, generally designated at 10 is a pictorialdiagram useful in explaining the manner of use of an enhanced securityballot image tabulator in accord with the system and method providingenhanced security ballot image records of the present invention. Apolling place is schematically illustrated by dashed box 12. The pollingplace 12 may be governmental such as a state election precinct or may benon-governmental such as a corporation or other organization or otherbody where offices or matters are to be democratically decided byvoting. The polling place 12 includes one or more voting stations 14designated “VSl, VSk and VSn.” The polling place 12 may include anyvoting machine adapted to receive a paper ballot having the races andmatters to be voted on such as voting machines utilizing paper ballotsand/or any voting machine adapted to electronically display a ballotimage having the races and matters to be voted on, to record the votescast for the races or matters listed on the electronic ballot, and aprinter or other means or method for providing tangible ballotsrepresentative of the ballot images having any votes cast thereon.

An enhanced security ballot image tabulator 16 to be described that maybe located in the polling place 12 receives each of a plurality ofballots to be tabulated schematically illustrated by arrow 18 from theone or more voting stations 14 and tabulates them in a manner to bedescribed to provide an enhanced security ballot image recordschematically illustrated by arrow 20. As appears more fully herein, theenhanced security ballot image record 20, constituted by a plurality ofdiachronically and synchronically coordinated ballot image files, may bestored preferably in secure media for later review in the case of acontested election or by interested parties and/or broadcast during orafter tabulation is completed for real time or post-tabulation review byelection officials, the electorate or other interested parties. As willbe readily appreciated, the original paper or other tangible ballots aresecurely archived with a proper chain of custody.

If more than one tabulator is employed, a tabulator serial number orother parameter may be used to identify each tabulator and todistinguish their respective enhanced security ballot image records fromthose of the other tabulators.

Referring now to FIG. 2, generally designated at 30 is a schematicpictorial view of a typical prior art ballot. As shown, the ballot 30includes races, matters that are listed for decision by the electorate,as schematically illustrated by bracket 32, as well as ballot validationinformation, including the date the ballot was delivered to the voter,the precinct number, the polling station, and a preprinted ballotnumber, all as schematically illustrated by bracket 34.

Referring now to FIG. 3, generally designated at 40 is a schematicpictorial view of a ballot image of the same ballot as in FIG. 2 toinclude information tabulated in accord with the enhanced securityballot image tabulator of the system and method providing enhancedsecurity ballot image records of the present invention. As appears morefully below, the tabulator serially processes each of the plurality ofballots to be tabulated and generates, for each serially processedballot, enhanced security diachronic and synchronic parameters.

As shown, the ballot image 40 has ballot validation information,including the date the ballot was delivered to the voter, the precinctnumber, the polling station, and the preprinted ballot serial number, asschematically illustrated by bracket 42, as does the ballot 30 of FIG.2, but in addition thereto, the ballot image 40 has firsttabulator-generated diachronic security parameter information to bedescribed representative of the current counts for races and/or matters,as schematically illustrated by bracket 44; second tabulator-generateddiachronic security parameter information to be described representativeof the unique time and date it was serially processed; thirdtabulator-generated diachronic security parameter information to bedescribed representative of its serial number at the time of tabulation,as schematically illustrated by bracket 46, and at least one synchronicsecurity parameter information to be described, preferably a room viewimage, synchronous with each ballot being serially tabulated asschematically illustrated by bracket 48.

It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art the enhancedsecurity ballot image tabulator may employ other diachronic securityparameters intrinsic to the serial tabulation of the serially processedballots of the plurality of ballots to be tabulated and may employ othersynchronic security parameters extrinsic of and synchronous with theserial tabulation of each of the serially processed ballots of theplurality of ballots to be tabulated thereby without departing from theinventive concepts.

Referring now to FIG. 4, generally designated at 60 is a functionalblock diagram of an enhanced security ballot image tabulator in accordwith the system and method providing enhanced security ballot imagerecords of the present invention. The tabulator 60 includes a serialballot handler 62. The serial ballot handler 62 may be a mechanicaldevice adapted to receive paper or other tangible ballots to betabulated and to serially process them thereinthrough on a particularday and at a certain time at a feed rate, each with another seriallyincreasing tabulator-generated number, respectively designated “tds” and“sn.” “Tds” stands for “time date stamp” and is a diachronic parameterrepresentative of the exact time of tabulation of each seriallyprocessed ballot and it will be a number that is its unique time anddate stamp. “Sn” stands for “serial number” and is a diachronicparameter representative of the tabulator-generated serial number and itwill be a number that increases by one (1) or other predetermined numberwith each successive ballot tabulated, which may be a frame number inthe case of a video imaging format or a page number in the case of aserial image format, such as PowerPoint. For example, if the handler'sfeed rate is ten (10) ballots per second, the serially increasingtabulator-generated serial number uniquely associated with each seriallyprocessed paper ballot would be a magnitude increasing by one (1) everyone tenth ( 1/10) of a second.

In some broadcast embodiments described herein, the ongoing tabulationmay be simulcast in real time for public review. In these embodiments, avideo formatting frame rate is selected so as not to exceed thelimitations of the feed rate. For example, the video format frame ratewould be less than or equal to the feed rate so as to not generate morethan one video frame for each serially processed ballot.

A ballot image station 64 is operatively coupled to the serial ballothandler 62. The ballot image station 64 may be a video or still cameraor a digital scanner or other means adapted to receive from the serialballot handler 62 each ballot, not shown, of the series of ballots to betabulated and for each ballot to make a true image thereof designated“bi,” each at another tabulator-generated time and date stamp (“tds”)and corresponding tabulator-generated serial number (“sn”).

A higher resolution image of each ballot may be recorded simultaneouslyby the same camera or scanner or other imaging device, at a higherresolution than the video resolution provided to the public. Such a highresolution image may be useful in later adjudicating ambiguous votemarks.

The functions of the serial ballot handler module 62 and ballot imagestation 64 may, for example, be included in a single module, such as apaper scanning device.

A ballot image analysis module 66 is operatively coupled to the ballotimage station 64. The ballot image analyzer may include an OCR device orother means adapted to recognize which races and matters have cast votesfrom each ballot image that respectively corresponds to another one ofthe ballots to be tabulated and may include software or other meansadapted to tabulate a cumulative running count of the cast votesmaintained current with each ballot image corresponding to another oneof the plurality of ballots to be tabulated for each race and matterdesignated “rc; m,r.” The designation “rc; m,r” stands for “runningcount; matters and races.”

Although the parameters “tds” and “sn” are associated with the handlermodule 62, and the “rc; m, r” parameter is associated with the ballotimage module 66, it will be appreciated these parameters can be producedin alternative embodiments by other modules without departing from theinventive concepts.

An enhanced security record compiler module 68 that may include a humaninput control interface device and/or a programmed controller or othercontrol mechanism is operatively connected to the modules 62, 64, 66 andadapted to coordinate their operation to provide the enhanced securityballot image records to be described of the present invention.

A room camera 70 and a memory 72 are operatively connected to the recordcompiler module 68.

A broadcast module 74 is operatively coupled to the record compiler 68that is adapted to simulcast the enhanced security ballot image files ofthe enhanced security ballot image record during tabulation for publicview and/or broadcast the enhanced security ballot image record uponcompletion of tabulation.

Other means than or in addition to the room camera 70 to providesynchronic security parameters may be employed that may include amicrophone providing an ambient soundtrack, compass information, G.P.S.data, barometric pressure, temperature, or other parameter that uniquelyidentifies each ballot with respect to an extrinsic, objectively validdata reference or datum. A fingerprint scanner may be among the inputs,and may also function as a scanning initiator for each batch of ballotsentered into the tabulation device; it may also be the “start” buttonfor the boot or the tabulation. The fingerprint data or image file maybe stored as an appended file of the initial ballot, or incorporatedinto the enhanced ballot image file. Fingerprint data may be compared toroom view image, and time sheets for election workers. An iris scanner,or galvanic skin response sensor, or a breathalyser, or other biometricmeasurement, could also be employed.

The memory 72 may be a secure write-once read-only memory.

Referring now to FIG. 5A, generally designated at 80 is pictorialdiagram illustrating an enhanced security ballot image record of theenhanced security ballot image tabulator of the system and methodproviding enhanced security ballot image records in accord with thepresent invention. The enhanced security ballot image record 80 includesa plurality of constitutive enhanced security ballot image filesschematically illustrated by bracket 82 each corresponding to anotherone of the ballots to be tabulated.

The constituent enhanced security ballot image files 82 of the enhancedsecurity ballot image record 80 may be arranged into a sequential imageviewing format, such as a video format, or PowerPoint type, so as toprovide sequential viewing of its constitutive enhanced security ballotimage files by a browser or other viewing application as schematicallyillustrated by an arrow 84.

The enhanced security ballot image record of the present inventionpresents information that is consistent with, and provided in parallelto, the printed “results tape” that may be required by law in variousjurisdictions.

Referring now to FIG. 5B, generally designated at 90 is a pictorialdiagram schematically illustrating an enhanced security ballot imagefile constitutive of the enhanced security ballot image record 80 (FIG.5A) of the enhanced security ballot image tabulator of the system andmethod providing enhanced security ballot image records of the presentinvention. Each enhanced security ballot image file 90 corresponding toanother one of the plurality of ballots to be tabulated includes itsrespective ballot image 92 designated “bi,” its associatedtabulator-generated diachronic security parameter 94 representative ofits respective time and date stamp, designated “tds,” its correspondingtabulator-generated serial number, designated “sn,” its currenttabulator-generated cumulative running votes cast count tabulation,designated “rc; m, r,” for all races and/or matters, and its associatedsynchronic room view image security parameter 96, designated “rv,”synchronous therewith.

The ballot images 92 and synchronous room view parameters 96 of eachenhanced-security ballot image file 90 may be formatted as images, andthe diachronic parameters 94 thereof may be formatted as images and/ordata without departing from the inventive concepts.

As will be readily appreciated by those of skill in the art, theenhanced security ballot image record of constitutive diachronically andsynchronically coordinated ballot image files one for each of theballots to be tabulated provides a linked information network that makesit extremely difficult to tamper with the vote without detection, as themeans of tampering entail having to fabricate content that iscontextually linked to other data in the series that does not change,when the series of ballot images with the additional in-file data areviewed or analyzed as a series within the whole. Attempts to insert ordelete ballots or alter or remove voter marks would require knowledge ofthe tally at the insertion point, and the alteration of every subsequentframe all the way to the last ballot. If the ballot images are broadcastin real time, or near real time as they are recorded, or if the pollworkers and observers are provided with a digital copy of the ballotimage series with running tabulations embedded in the images, subsequentefforts to alter the series are not possible without detection by quickcomparison to these original records.

Referring now to FIG. 6, generally designated at 100 is a block diagramuseful in explaining the operation of the enhanced security ballot imagetabulator of the system and method providing enhanced security ballotimage records in accord with the present invention.

As shown by a block 102, the ballots of the plurality of ballots to betabulated are individually read at a tabulator feed rate, date and feedtime.

As shown by a block 104, each ballot of the plurality of ballots to betabulated is then imaged with corresponding tabulator-generated time anddate stamps (“tds”) and with tabulator-generated serial numbers (“sn”).

As shown by a block 106, each ballot image respectively corresponding toindividual ones of the plurality of ballots to be tabulated is thenanalyzed to detect cast votes for each race and matter and to seriallyprovide a running tabulation thereof cumulative of all cast votes thatis maintained current to each serially processed ballot image. Forexample, for the first fed ballot in the series of ballots beingtabulated, a vote is cast for a certain candidate giving a runningtabulation for that candidate of one (1) vote, at the moment the ballotis tabulated. For the second ballot in the series of ballots beingtabulated, another vote is cast for the same candidate, and, associatedwith the second ballot, a running vote cast tabulation of two (2) forthat candidate. In the third ballot, no vote is cast for that candidateand the running votes cast tabulation for that candidate is unchanged.

As shown by a block 108, an enhanced security ballot image filecorresponding to individual ones of the plurality of ballots to betabulated is then compiled that preferably includes its ballot image,its respective time and date stamp (“tds”), its tabulator-generatedserial number (“sn)”, its running cast votes tabulation (“rc; m, r”),and its room view image (“rv”), each for another one of the ballots ofthe plurality of serially tabulated ballots.

As shown by a block 110, an enhanced security ballot image record of allof the enhanced security ballot image files each corresponding toanother one of the plurality of ballots to be tabulated is thencompiled.

The enhanced security ballot image record may be formatted forsequential viewing of its constitutive enhanced security ballot imagefiles in the case of an audit by election officials or review by thepublic or other interested parties. Any image browser capable of singleframe viewing may be employed. To get the enhanced security ballot imagerecord to the public in a timely manner, a standard resolution browsermay be used. A video frame rate may be selected so as to match thecapture or feed rate of the ballots in order that the bandwidthrequirements for transmission and reception may be kept to a minimum,despite very high resolutions and consequently large ballot imageindividual file sizes which may be necessary in the case of a largeballot. The frame rate may be chosen so as to match the capture andprocessing rate, so as to reduce image compression and thereby improveresolution, so as to image the ballot legibly. The aspect ratio ofballots may be chosen so as to fit the image of the ballot into astandard video or other sequential image browsing format, while leavinga portion of the image frame blank, so as to allow space to includeadditional data and imagery in the same frame. The additional area maybe alternatively located within the area of the ballot image, if theballot includes a blank area suitably located or designated for thatpurpose. A data field may be created adjacent to each candidate's nameor ballot initiative on the ballot for the purpose of a runningtabulation.

A high resolution image of the entire ballot may be divided into smallerportions, so as to fit within the format limitations of the outputformat chosen, for the purpose of a lower resolution broadcast or otherdistribution to the public or other observers. For example, a largeballot requiring three thousand by two thousand (3000×2000) pixelresolution to record all the text and ballot marks at sufficientresolution to read clearly could be divided into four (4) quadrants offifteen hundred by one thousand (1500×1000) pixels each, with eachquadrant incorporated into a standard one thousand nine hundred twentyby one thousand eighty (1920×1080) video format, with room for appendingimage field for the time and data and additional information.Reformatting for other image formats or video formats may beaccomplished so as to provide the most commonly viewable format withinthe constraints of the image size requirements, as well as changingstandards and formatting, so as to provide for public audit of theballot images and tally. If the ballot is intended to be recorded inthis fashion, it's useful to further include the ballot number, date,precinct number etc. in each section of the ballot to be presented as aseparate frame, so that original identifying information is preserved inevery frame of output.

As shown by a block 112, the enhanced security ballot image record maythen be stored upon compilation of each ballot image file correspondingto another serially processed ballot of the ballots to be tabulatedand/or may be stored when compilation has been completed for all theenhanced security ballot image files of the ballots of the plurality ofballots to be tabulated. The record as stored may include metadata suchas in Exchange image file format (Exif).

As shown by a block 114, the enhanced security ballot image record maythen be broadcast when compilation has been completed for all ballots ofthe plurality of ballots to be tabulated after polls are closed and/orsimulcast for public view upon compilation of each ballot image fileindividually corresponding to another ballot of the plurality of ballotsto be tabulated as they are each processed serially at the time oftabulation after polls are closed.

The last enhanced ballot image in the series is the result; it shows thecumulative votes in all races. It may be printed out as a “final ballotand preliminary tally” in multiple copies, and signed by the electionjudge, then distributed with a CD or other secure media, along with aresults tape, to the normal places; the judge keeps one, one goes tocounty/central count, a copy to each observer etc. That page is postableimmediately on the internet as an image file. Also, at any point alongthe succession of ballots being tabulated, a frame may be copied andposted, showing the count at that point; this is useful in very largeprecincts where it takes a long time to feed all of the ballots, e.g.,at ten (10) ballots per second, thirty thousand (30,000) votes wouldtake fifty (50) minutes to tabulate. Some might like to see data pointsalong the way, which would be available, without interrupting thetabulation, by pulling an enhanced security ballot image file out of theseries, for publication. This serves a purpose similar to a “resultstape” printout as is currently used, if provided in conjunction with thedigital record. Results tapes currently may have a signature by theelection judge at their terminus page.

Referring now to FIG. 7, generally designated at 120 is a functionalblock diagram of an enhanced security ballot image audit station forreceiving and selectively reviewing enhanced security ballot imagerecords of the system and method providing enhanced security ballotimage records in accord with the present invention useful among otherthings in the event of a contested election to identify possibly invalidballots and or by members of the public or other parties interested inassuring themselves that the intent of the electorate is not beingthwarted.

The audit station 120 includes a receiver 122. The receiver 122 may be abroadcast receiver, internet capable browser and/or among other things asecure memory device such as a secure flash drive adapted to receive theenhanced security ballot image records of the system and methodproviding enhanced security ballot image records of the presentinvention. A programmed controller 124 including a memory 126 isoperatively connected to the receiver 122. The programmed controller 124is adapted to receive the enhanced security ballot image recordsreceived by the receiver 122, to store it locally in the memory 126 andin response to user input control information, to look up individuallyselected ballot image files or other data and/or to scan the record todetermine which enhanced security ballot image files constitutive of theenhanced security ballot image record may have out-of-bounds diachronicand/or synchronic security parameters, and/or to scan the record and/orfiles and/or data for other possible security parameter or otherviolations.

A display 128 that may display a web browser or other interface and auser input and control interface 130 that may include a keyboard and/ormouse are operatively connected to the programmed controller 124.

Referring now to FIG. 8, generally designated at 140 is a block diagramuseful in explaining the operation of the enhanced security ballot imageaudit station for reviewing enhanced security ballot image records ofthe system and method providing enhanced security ballot image recordsin accord with the present invention.

As shown by a block 142, the enhanced security audit station receivesthe enhanced security ballot image record.

As shown by a block 144, the enhanced security audit station may beoperated to select, identify and to flag out-of-bounds diachronicsecurity parameters.

As shown by a block 146, the enhanced security audit station may beoperated to select, identify and to flag out-of-bounds synchronicsecurity parameters.

As shown by a block 148, the enhanced security audit station may beoperated to review ballot images sequentially and/or to review ballotimages corresponding to flagged ballot image files and/or to check forviolations of other security or other parameters and/or to identify andview any selected ballot image, or area, field or race, or measuretherein, including the view of a plurality of ballot image fieldsreformat into a spreadsheet, so as to facilitate the examination ofselected races allowing viewing of large numbers of ballot imagessimultaneously.

With reference to FIGS. 9-12, different exemplary out-of-boundsdiachronic and synchronic security parameters that are potentiallydetectable by the enhanced security ballot image audit station of thesystem and method providing enhanced security ballot image records inaccord with the present invention will now be described. Otherout-of-bounds diachronic security parameter violations, synchronicsecurity parameter violations, diachronic/synchronic security violationparameters and/or other security parameter or other violations arepossible without departing from the inventive concepts.

Referring now to FIG. 9, generally designated at 160 is a schematicpictorial diagram that illustrates an exemplary diachronic timeout-of-sync condition. The boxes 162, 164 schematically representsuccessive ballot image files designated “fk, fk+1” bearing diachronictime of feed security parameters designated “tdsk, tdsk+1.” An exemplarydiachronic time out-of-sync parameter violation would be indicated forthe corresponding ballot image files 162, 164 should the inverse of thetime interval between successive time and date stamps be greater thanthe capture speed determined by the tabulator's maximum feed rate. Inany contest, the corresponding out-of-sync ballot image files 162, 164could be readily identified and audited for authentication and possibleinvalidation. For example, given a tabulator with a maximum feed rate often (10) ballots per second, the time interval of one twentieth ( 1/20)of a second between successive time and date stamps would indicate afeed rate that exceeds the tabulator's capacity.

Referring now to FIG. 10, generally designated at 170 is a schematicpictorial diagram that illustrates an exemplary diachronictabulator-generated serial number out-of-sync condition. The boxes 172,174 schematically represent successive ballot image files “fk, fk+1”bearing diachronic tabulator-generated serial number security parametersdesignated “snk, snk+1.” An exemplary diachronic tabulator-generatedserial number out-of-sync parameter violation would be indicated for thecorresponding ballot image files 172, 174 should the difference inserial numbers be other than one (1) or other predetermined serialincrease parameter. In any contest, the corresponding out-of-sync ballotimage files 172, 174 could be readily identified and audited forauthentication and possible invalidation.

Referring now to FIG. 11, generally designated at 180 is a schematicpictorial diagram that illustrates an exemplary synchronic room viewout-of-sync condition. The boxes 182, 184 schematically representsuccessive ballot image files designated “fk, fk+1,” bearing successivediachronic serial number security parameters designated “snk, snk+1,”bearing diachronic time and date stamp security parameters designated“tdsk, tdsk+1” and bearing synchronic room view security parametersrespectively designated “rvk (person X or day)” and “rvk+1 (person Y ornight).” An exemplary synchronic room view out-of-sync parameterviolation would be indicated for the corresponding ballot image files182, 184 should the difference in the people present or time of day inthe corresponding synchronous room view images of successive enhancedsecurity ballot image files unexplainably change relative to the timeinterval between successive time and date stamps. In any contest, thecorresponding out-of-sync ballot image files 182, 184 could be auditedfor authentication and possible invalidation.

Referring now to FIG. 12, generally designated at 190 is a schematicpictorial diagram that illustrates another exemplary diachronic runningvote count tabulation out-of-sync condition. The boxes 192, 194schematically represent successive ballot image files designated “fk,fk+1,” bearing successive diachronic tabulator-generated serial numbersecurity parameters designated “snk, snk+1,” bearing diachronic time offeed security parameters designated “tdsk, tdsk+1,” and bearingdiachronic running vote count tabulation security parametersrespectively designated “rck(race X tab 10)” and “rck+1(race X tab 9),”where “tab” represents tabulation. An exemplary diachronic runningcounts out-of-sync parameter violation would be indicated for thecorresponding ballot image files 192, 194 should the difference in therunning count tabulation for any race or matter between successiveballots not equal zero (0) or plus one (1). In any contest, thecorresponding out-of-sync ballot image files 192, 194 could be readilyidentified and audited for authentication and possible invalidation.

Many modifications and embodiments will become apparent to those ofskill in the art having benefitted by the disclosure of the presentinvention without departing from the inventive concepts.

Voter sign-in sheets at the poll constitute an additional securityparameter, as they are the official record of who was registered tovote, who did vote, on what day they voted, and who did not vote. Anelement to empower the electorate and other interested parties incarrying out an audit of the results is by way of providing the votersign-in information, preferably in the form of an image file recordedfrom each sign-in sheet, and as a series of image files formatted forviewing frame by frame, that may be accomplished using the sameequipment used to scan the ballots. The series of sign-in sheets may bebroadcast or posted or otherwise provided to auditors and electionofficials, for the purpose of correlation with the enhanced ballot imagerecord. By making sign-in sheets and ballots both available for analysistogether, several data security checks are realized by way of spotchecking.

The total number of ballots should match the total number of voters whosigned in to vote. Registered voters who didn't vote can verify thatthey are indicated on the sign-in sheet as having not voted, rather thantheir potential vote having become the place-holder for a counterfeitballot. The public may peruse the list of voters for dead people,felons, and people who don't exist, or are listed several times. Thosewho did vote can search the ballot image series files for their ownballot serial number which they recorded while in the ballot booth, andverify that the marks on the ballot of record are in fact the marks theymade, and were tabulated correctly, and that their vote was added to thetally from the previous ballot, and was carried over to the followingenhanced ballot image file's tabulation.

Voter sign-in sheets may be designed so as to fit the ballot tabulationequipment, so that the paper handling, imaging function, cast votediscrimination function, running count cast vote tabulation function andbroadcast and publishing functions of the tabulator equipment may beaccomplished by one machine, and used for the purpose of distributingthe voter sign-in sheet images to the public contemporaneously with theenhanced security ballot image files and/or records. The smaller numberof sign-in sheets could be broadcast or published prior to the largernumber of enhanced security ballot image files and/or record and theirtabulation. Summary data read from the sign-in sheets may be appended asa data file, or image file, or made searchable through OCR or summariesfrom OCR derived data analysis of the sign-in sheet images.

It will be readily appreciated by those of skill in the art that theenhanced security ballot image tabulator of the present invention andits feeder, imager, analyzer and compiler modules cooperative to provideenhanced security ballot image records of constitutive ballot imagefiles each for another ballot of the serially processed ballots of theplurality of ballots to be tabulated having diachronically andsynchronically coordinated security parameters may be variously embodiedwithout departing from the inventive concepts including for example asuitably programmed smart phone, tablet, or phablet with imaging,enhanced security ballot image processing and enhanced ballot imagerecord compiling functions. The enhanced security ballot image auditstation and its constitutive receiver, controller, I/O interface anddisplay cooperative to scroll enhanced-security ballot image records andconstitutive files and to scan the record for enhanced-security fileshaving out-of-sync diachronic and/or synchronic parameters and/or othersecurity or other parameters may also be variously embodied withoutdeparting from inventive concepts.

The principles of the present invention will have applications in manydifferent voting systems employing paper or other tangible ballotswithout departing from the inventive concepts.

What is claimed is:
 1. An enhanced security ballot image tabulatorproviding from a plurality of ballots to be tabulated an enhancedsecurity ballot image record constituted by a plurality of enhancedsecurity ballot image files each corresponding to another one of theplurality of ballots to be tabulated, comprising: a serial ballot feedermodule adapted to serially feed at a feed rate each ballot of saidplurality of ballots to be tabulated one after the other, each at a dateand feed time that defines each said ballot's unique time and date offeed, and each with another unique serial number that depends on eachsaid ballot's respective position in the sequence of said serially fedballots of said plurality of ballots to be tabulated; a ballot imagemodule operatively coupled to said serial ballot feeder adapted toserially process each ballot of the plurality of ballots to be tabulatedand to serially provide a plurality of ballot images thereof eachcorresponding to another ballot of said serially fed ballots, each ateach said ballot's said unique time and date of feed and each withanother said unique serial number; a ballot image analyzer modulecoupled to the ballot image module adapted to serially recognize whetheror not the serially provided ballot images have races or matters havingcast votes and to serially tabulate a plurality of cumulative runningcounts of the races or matters of the ballot images having recognizedcast votes current with each said ballot image of said serially fedballots of said plurality of ballots to be tabulated; a record compilermodule coupled to said feeder, said image and said analyzer modulesadapted to serially provide a plurality of enhanced security ballotimage files, that respectively include, for each ballot of saidplurality of ballots to be tabulated, each said ballot's correspondingballot image, each said ballot's unique time and date of feed, each saidballot's unique serial number, and each said ballot's cumulative runningvotes cast tabulation, and to compile an enhanced security ballot imagerecord that is constituted by said enhanced security ballot image files,each for another one of said serially fed ballots of said plurality ofballots to be tabulated, each at each said ballot's said unique time anddate of feed and each with another said unique serial number; and amemory for storing said enhanced security ballot image record that isconstituted by said enhanced security ballot image files, each foranother one of said serially fed ballots of said plurality of ballots tobe tabulated.
 2. The enhanced security ballot image tabulator of claim1, wherein said enhanced security ballot image record is compiled toprovide sequential viewing of said enhanced security ballot imagerecord's constitutive enhanced security ballot image files, and furtherincluding a broadcast module for broadcasting said enhanced securityballot image record.
 3. The enhanced security ballot image tabulator ofclaim 2, wherein said enhanced security ballot image record includesmetadata.
 4. The enhanced security ballot image tabulator of claim 3,wherein said metadata is formatted in Exif format.
 5. The enhancedballot image tabulator of claim 2, wherein said enhanced security ballotimage record is simulcast simultaneously for public view with the serialprocessing of each said constitutive enhanced security ballot image filerespectively corresponding to another one of said plurality of ballotsto be tabulated.
 6. The enhanced security ballot image tabulator ofclaim 1, further including a camera operatively connected to said recordcompiler adapted to serially provide a preselected image synchronouswith each said serially provided ballot images, wherein said recordcompiler is further adapted to include said preselected imagesynchronous with each said serially provided ballot images as aconstitutive part of each said ballot's corresponding enhanced securityballot image file.
 7. The enhanced security ballot image tabulator ofclaim 1, further including an enhanced security audit station adapted toreceive said enhanced security ballot image record and to selectivelyscan its constitutive enhanced security ballot image files for selectedout-of-bounds parameters.
 8. The enhanced security ballot imagetabulator of claim 7, wherein said selected out-of-bounds parameters arediachronic security parameters representative of one of said time anddate of feed, said serial number, and said running votes casttabulation.
 9. The enhanced security ballot image tabulator of claim 7,further including a camera for providing an image, wherein said recordcompiler is further adapted to serially provide an enhanced securityballot image file that includes an image provided by said camera foreach ballot of the plurality of ballots to be tabulated, and whereinsaid selected out-of-bounds parameters is a synchronous securityparameter representative of said image.
 10. The enhanced security ballotimage tabulator of claim 1, wherein said memory is a secure memory.